16
Entertainment
Winter
The Bear Facts
The Bear Facts
.
Entertainment
.
17
Winter
Bohemian Rhapsody Takes Stage by Storm By ISABELLA JAAR ‘19
Countless hits, millions of fans, an undying legacy; the British 1970s band Queen redefined classic rock with songs like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We are the Champions,” and “Another One Bites the Dust.” Queen’s music is not only still relevant among popular culture today, but also, it comes with a powerful story. Starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, the film Bohemian Rhapsody finally brings Queen’s jawdropping story to the big screen. Without a doubt, the film would have been incomplete without the incorporation of the rest of Queen’s members: Brian May (Gwilym Lee), Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy), and John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello). Admittedly, I had minimum knowledge on Queen and their story Courtesy of IMB prior to watching the film. Of course, I knew a few major details, given that my parents are big fans. Regardless, I did not know what to expect going into the theater. This changed after watching the movie; I had been captivated by the story and was instantly yearning to learn more. Bohemian Rhapsody is a film, and not every detail is 100 percent accurate. Yet, it beautifully captures the essence
of Queen’s story, accurately depicting several major events and occurrences. “My favorite part of Bohemian Rhapsody was watching the Live Aid concert near the end of the film. The way it was filmed made me feel like I was at a concert, not a movie theater,” explained Sarah Hui ’20. Malek openly revealed how challenging it was for him to take on the role of Freddie Mercury, whose legacy is val-
Mercury’s entire story, Malek explained that “It’s never going to be perfect in fulfilling the story of a man who we could make countless documentaries about and countless miniseries about” (Smoothradio.com). Bohemian Rhapsody highlights the many stereotypes Mercury destroyed through his music and his experiences. “He, and the band, they brought down every convention of what music should be and how human beings should act in public. He’s a revolutionary in that he just refused to be ued segregated or marginalized by in any way,” said Malek. There are several aspects of Bohemany. mian Rhapsody that especially Howresonated with viewers. ever, “[He] “The cast and crew did a ultimately really great job in portrayfound himself ing Freddie Mercury’s life channeling Mercury’s without being too intrucharismatic stage presence so sive and personal. much so that toward the end of shoot- My favorite part ing the film, he asked the costume de- of the movie was signer to make his character another seeing how sequin leotard, this time in ruby red” perfectly each (Npr.org). Many have praised Malek’s actor resemperformance as Freddie Mercury. bled their reFrankly, it is no surprise that he is spective band expected to receive an Oscar for his member; the stellar enactment. casting was Although many critics and viewextremely ers have complained that Bohemian well done,” Rhapsody does not fully reveal Freddie said Grace
Risinger ’20. “Creating this film was the perfect way to honor and preserve both Freddie Mercury and Queen’s legacy, though it is idealized at times. Rami Malek was definitely the perfect actor for this part,” added Jackie Thomas ’20. Bohemian Rhapsody has been labeled as the “Now HighestGrossing Music Biopic Ever,” as it has attracted viewCourtesy of Mental ers from Floss all ages and backgrounds. Since its release on Nov. 2nd, 2018, Bohemian Rhapsody has made approximately $401.2 million, prompting uproar among Queen fans everywhere. The film not only exceeded my high expectations, but also helped me understand the true emotions and inspiration behind Queen’s songs. Ultimately, Queen has entered the spotlight once again, and it probably
Courtesy of Bonanza
‘Teen’ Movie Casting: Sneaking Away Self-Confidence By BETHANY ROBERTS ‘20
As much as everyone loves the popular TV shows Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries and Riverdale, they all possess the same, major dilemma: the relatable teens they portray are adults. The shock that comes from learning Nina Dobrev was 24 in Vampire Dairies has been the same shock that has hit screen-lovers for decades. John Travolta in Grease was 24. Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls was 25. While some argue the casting is harmless, the unseen efCourtesy fects on teen of mom.me viewers are deeply psychological. Barbara Greenberg, PhD, a clinical psychologist and teen and family expert, says teens unknowingly “engage in comparison” due to the “spotlight effect,” the false belief that everyone is looking at them all the time. A teenager is anything but a passive viewer. Casting actors in their 20s can complicate an already challenging time for teens. Adults have a more consistent appearance and which cause still-developing teens to internalize messages of incessant perfection. According to Barbara Greenberg, PhD, a clinical psychologist and teen and family expert, this message can “lead to all kinds of body-image and social-comparison is-
sues and we know that social comparison can be a thief of joy.” However, the natural maturity and poise of the older actors could cast a better role model. “Role modeling is the best form of learning,” said Greenburg. The natural elegance of actresses within the show and outside the show casts a model for teens to mirror. However, maturity is not always idolized. The mental effect of skewed casting is
Courtesy of JustJared and Pinterest
a two-way street. Older female characters are often cast as extremely older women, painting a negative picture of maturity. “In their teens, they get a message of perfection, and as they get older, they’re getting a very inaccurate depiction of what an older, maturing woman looks like” says Greenburg. Considering Hollywood’s perspective, casting directors experience the setbacks to casting a minor. Casting a minor includes the requirements of a guardian on-set
at all times and the rule of maximum hours on-set. Stereotypically, Hollywood actors are thankful to receive any role, but recently Lili Reinhart spoke out about the comfortable trap of teen roles. Reinhart spoke with Teen Vogue about her plans after Riverdale. “I don’t want to do another high school story,” she said. She continued to discuss the limitations she feels in playing a high-schooler. “I think in order for me to feel that I’m pushing myself and growing as a performer, I need to kind of do things that are a little bit more adult and maybe things Courtesy of that are more MSN grounded, because Riverdale is so over-the-top and very fast-paced and everything is so dramatic,” she said. Is Hollywood limiting the potential of talented actors by continuously assigning and creating teen roles for adults? Perhaps, but the real importance rests on the public to recognize this reality. The significance of accurate casting is up for debate, and recognizing the unrealistic expectations of beauty and lifestyle presented on TV is important to keep in mind.